Wire Media

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of communications for The Solutions Project, which focuses on many tactics to transition to 100% clean energy. The majority of our work provides financial and immediate support to organizations across the country who are changing the face of clean energy work. We're primarily focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion as we transition to a world powered by the wind, water, and sun. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wire Media?

The Solutions Project has gone through several iterations in its short life. It was founded by actor Mark Ruffalo, Stanford scientist Mark Jacobson, and Marco Krapels, who has a background in energy finance. As the organization evolved, they hired an executive director, started developing programs. We needed to better align our web presence with the work we’re actually doing. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Wire Media came onboard to overhaul and update both our websites to better represent our mission and clarify the connection between the two. They created a more integrated and mobile-friendly interface. Both sites still run on the original WordPress UI with another effective code base. Assessing our product from a design perspective improved its utility. Engagement tasks like kickoff meetings and interviews cultivated a deep understanding of our brand. They carried these concepts through the design and execution phases to pinpoint the best forward-facing output to produce.

Wire Media reworked the frontend and backend of all our interactive maps. These tools showcase our vision for what 100% clean energy would look like across the globe. Since most users access our site through their phones, adding mobile responsivity was key for a core component of our online content. 

Many of our partner organizations lobby local city councilmembers and senators. Wire Media made printouts relevant and easy to access for use in those meetings. PDFs update automatically as we add new data around the wind, water, and solar profiles worldwide. They also supported our two annual impact reports that highlight our strengths and chronicle the past year’s achievements. 

What is the team composition? 

I worked with a cross-section of Wire Media's team including their founder and director, a product manager, and a graphic designer. I even interfaced briefly with their engineer and backend coder. 

How did you come to work with Wire Media?

They were referred to us by a friend and colleague.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $100,000 –$250,000 for the total cost of their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2017. I enjoyed the UX/UI design process so much that we extended our engagement.  I've worked with Wire Media on a whole host of projects and I adore them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Wire Media made a useful site and helps us keep the content fresh and relevant. Our new platform accurately and responsively reflects how our organization evolves over time. The improved staff interface is easy for our less experienced teammates to maintain. We didn't need to extensively revise it since they understood our concept from the start. When we mutually decide to adjust things, they incorporate changes seamlessly.

Our users and donors have given overwhelmingly positive feedback from both a design and usefulness perspective. Our site traffic is remaining consistent. In a recent meeting, a major museum with a climate engagement program used one of our sites as an example of how they wanted theirs to look. In that regard, we're hitting our targets.

Overall, our partnership has been a strongly positive experience. Wire Media figures out tech solutions to reach our goals within budget. Our new interactive maps they programmed are more usable for partners nationwide. They consistently provide both reality checks and helpful responses More than anything, they keep the digital content we release fresh and relevant. Cohesively reflecting our organization and accomplishments is no small feat. 

How did Wire Media perform from a project management standpoint?

The majority of my day-to-day interactions were with the project coordinator, who I now call a friend. Like several of their staff, I’m based in the Bay Area so we could meet in person. The team is incredibly responsive. They had clear, transparent conversations to ensure we always knew what was going on. 

Wire Media set realistic expectations about what we could accomplish within our timeline and budget, so they get high marks there. It’s especially challenging to keep tabs on complications for any project with tech components. If anything was going to be delayed or wasn't working as planned, they immediately flagged it. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Wire Media delivered a high-quality product consistently and repeatedly, which is just one reason I keep using them. Their team is delightful to work with. I've gone through several website overhauls in my career, so I know how hard this work is. It's a testament to Wire Media that I actually enjoyed this process. I hope to keep working with them in the future.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In some ways, they're still trying to adapt to my needs as a client. Having a slightly more streamlined project set of tracking tools would be helpful. They use many different platforms to communicate both regarding internal project management and client facing like email. This is a function of working in a 21st-century environment, though, and I’m certainly guilty of it as well

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

CREDO Mobile is America's progressive phone company. Within that, CREDO Action is the advocacy and activism arm of the company. I am the co-director at CREDO Action, where I oversee our communications, social media, and analytics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Wire Media?

Every year, we distribute an annual report summarizing our work for the year for our members, our customers, and, to a lesser extent, our organization allies and the media. In the past, we’ve done large PDFs or short videos. In 2016, we wanted a creative format that went beyond what we’ve done in the past. We wanted videos again, but we didn’t want only videos. And we wanted something that lived online but went beyond the in-house web design and development capabilities that we had. That’s where Wire Media came in, helping us build our 2016 annual report.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We conduct advocacy campaigns and donate millions of dollars to progressive nonprofits, so we wanted to have one page on the website that captured and adequately covered those. Wire Media found a balance of qualitative and quantitative sections. The videos were developed by a different vendor, and they captured the images and intensity of grassroots activism in an election year. Quantitatively, we wanted to have the numbers of phone calls made to elected officials, petition signatures, and dollars donated to all be reflected in the review. Wire Media made the website easy to navigate in a quick visit, but it also allowed deeper dives into certain issues.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the president, a lead developer, and a designer from Wire Media.

How did you come to work with Wire Media?

Some of our partner organizations worked with them, so we interviewed them along with two other firms, and we decided Wire Media was best suited to our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2016 through January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We were very happy with the end product. Our senior management, our staff, and our members all provided positive feedback on the site. They were pleased with its design and functionality.

How did Wire Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very accessible. They used a project management software I had never used and had no interest in learning, so I emailed or called them to communicate, and that worked well for them. They made smart projections for specific milestones, and any delays in the process were caused by us, but they found a way to make up the lost time. There were disagreements on specific design elements, but they always made edits until we found something that we liked.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When the project had been completed for months, we had technical problems with the site, and even though we had no ongoing maintenance outlined in our agreement, they agreed to fix it. Most firms won’t do that—they’ll try to get a new contract or charge extra. Wire Media was fully accountable for their work. Further, they took the time to have a series of conversations with us to understand the totality of our work and our goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were fantastic. We certainly recommend them. I’m eager, when the time comes, to hire them for another project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Communications Director of RISE St. James Louisiana

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Communciations and Environmental Justice 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Wire Media to accomplish?

• New website

SOLUTION

How did you find Wire Media?

Referral

Why did you select Wire Media over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Wire Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We are a non-profit frontline climate group. Wire was tasked with building a new, interactive website for RISEStjames.org.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Great website, we're very happy with it.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

A+

What was your primary form of communication with Wire Media?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was impressed with their patience and team approach.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Wire Media could have done differently?

None. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Sr. Clinical and Academic Program Director of a healthcare company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company develops, promotes, and sustains evidence-informed responses to prevent and help all patients heal from the impacts of trauma and toxic stress.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Wire Media to accomplish?

• Provide feedback on the development of accessible, online, educational content.

SOLUTION

How did you find Wire Media?

Referral

Why did you select Wire Media over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Wire Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Marcy and the WireMedia did a great job of providing us feedback on how to make our online educational content more accessible and provided our staff with specific trainings to this end.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Training sessions and written feedback and recommendations on existing resources.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Yes! Very responsive and on time delivery.

What was your primary form of communication with Wire Media?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their level of detail was very helpful in our efforts to learn from their review to improve our processes and procedures.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Wire Media could have done differently?

No, they were great!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a senior manager for a governmental organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Wire Media?

Document / infographic design of agency strategic plan for climate mitigation

What were your goals for this project?

Design that enhances the clarity of a document written for general audiences on a highly technical topic

SOLUTION

How did you select Wire Media?

Prior similar project

Describe the project in detail.

Wire Media was hired to design a 90-page long-term climate change mitigation strategic plan.

Because the document addresses a highly technical topic, but needs to be accessible to lay audiences, Wire Media was asked to work closely with subject matter experts on infographics and arrive at a design solution that enhances the clarity and readability of the report.

What was the team composition?

Three senior subject matter experts worked with two Wire Media staff, primarily asynchronously.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Document is pending public release, but internal feedback has been positive

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Wire Media is adept at working for East Coast clients. Most communications were via their project management platform and email. Where necessary, Wire was always available to get on a call.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Wire was very good about balancing technical accuracy with visual legibility, which was very important in this project. The designers made as many revisions as necessary to make sure that even subtle details were correct.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. We appreciated the attention that Wire brought to a pretty small project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Boutique law firm which approached for customized digital marketing footprint.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Wire Media?

Internet based marketing analysis, review, advice, and implementation.

What were your goals for this project?

Increase exposure, search engine optimization, and online referrals.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Owner has an excellent reputation.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Worked closely with the owner to devise an effective strategy to improve internet presence for small boutique law firm in Western San Bernardino County.

What was the team composition?

Owner and owner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Excellent work, advice, and the online strategy started showing results within weeks.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Fantastic.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their honesty, integrity, and knowledge were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Really, no complaints.